International kites to adorn Gujarat skies next week

25th International Kite Festival kicks off on January 7; will be hosted in city on January 12-13.

More than 100 kite flyers from across the world will participate in the annual International Kite Festival, which will commence on January 7.

“The International Kite Festival is all set to initiate its 25th edition starting on January 7 this year,” tourism minister Saurabh Patel told media-persons.

The event will see over 100 kite flyers from as many as 30 countries, including the UK, France, Italy, Singapore, Brazil, Israel, China, Thailand, New Zealand, among others. Kite-flying enthusiasts from more than 10 states will also take part in the event.

The minister said that the kite festival could generate more employment opportunities as well as help in attracting more tourists to the state.

“These tourist places will also get highlighted because of the kite festival. This will help in attracting more tourists to the destinations,” Patel said.

The silver jubilee edition of the event, which will conclude on January 13, will take place in nine places apart from Ahmedabad. It will take off from Mumbai and Delhi on January 7, before reaching Vadodara, Surat, Saputara, Dhordo, Modhera, Somnath and Mandvi.

In Ahmedabad, the kite festival will commence on January 12 at the Sabarmati Riverfront, and culminate on January 13. Each of the 100 international kitists will fly their kites in the city.

Officials said that the state tourism corporation has organised kite flying in the night for the first time this year. There will also be more adventure sports events at the riverfront in Ahmedabad, they said.

Tourism secretary Vipul Mittra said that the tourism corporation will use social networking sites to create buzz about the already popular event.

“Superstar Amitabh Bachchan will also tweet about the kite festival,” he added.